How to change the price of drugs after the New year

According to the decree of Cabinet of Ministers No. 862 from 1 January to impose price controls on drugs. In particular, a list of more than 200 medicines limited to the retail margin to 15%. Also drugs can be cheaper by reducing the VAT rate from 7% to 2-5%, as previously stated in the Cabinet under the program “Affordable medicine”. But while the tax is not reduced.

According to Vladimir rudenka, some drugs are really cheaper with the New year, however, while the health Ministry did not explain how to comply with the judgement, pharmacies will not be able to form in time the prices which the first time there may be interruptions in availability of medicines.

“It’s hard to say what will be the prices of medicines in 2017, but based on the initiatives of the Ministry of health, some groups of drugs can be cheaper, but there’s still no regulatory mechanism, no formulas how to do it all. We have repeatedly asked for clarification to the Ministry of health, since it is not clear how to enforce the resolution. Maybe in January there will be some disasters, shortages of some groups of drugs. If the Ministry time to make changes in the resolution, then everything will be fine”, – said Vladimir Rudenko.

But medicines can rise in price due to increased demand, e.g. due to a flu epidemic. In some regions of Ukraine epidporog has been exceeded, however, according to experts, the prices in pharmacies remained the same.

“While there is no rush and enough antiviral drugs, vitamins and immunomodulators. Prices on any medications due to the onset of a flu epidemic is not growing”, – notes Vladimir Rudenko.